Assistant Professor (tenure track)
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture (HLA)
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana
Duties: The successful candidate will establish a vigorous, externally funded, internationally recognized research program on plant responses to the environment (plant acclimation and adaptation to adverse abiotic factors). The successful candidate is expected to take a visionary approach to fundamental discovery of genetic, biochemical, cellular, and/or developmental mechanisms of plant acclimation and adaptation to adverse environmental factors including, but not limited to, water deficit (drought), salinity, temperature extremes, nutrient deficiency/excess, or light. Climate change is expected to impact horticultural crop productivity and research into plant adaptation capable of mitigating any of the myriad adverse effects of environmental stresses is of particular interest. An emphasis in horticultural crop applications is desirable. State-of-the-art laboratory, greenhouse, controlled-environment, and open-field plant-growth facilities are available within the Purdue HLA Department and College of Agriculture. This will be an academic-year position with a primary research appointment. The successful candidate will, however, be expected to teach undergraduate and graduate courses relevant to cellular and molecular plant physiology, and plant growth and development. The individual will serve as a member of the graduate faculty and be expected to mentor graduate students and post-doctoral research associates. Numerous opportunities exist for collaborative research within the HLA Department and across the strong research community at Purdue University. Collaborative research at regional, national, and international levels is strongly encouraged. Further information about the position may be obtained from the chair of the search committee: Dr. Robert Joly (Email: joly@purdue.edu).
Qualifications: A Ph.D. degree in horticulture, plant science, plant genetics, plant metabolic engineering, plant physiology or biochemistry, or a closely related field. Experience in systems biology, cellular biology of environmental sensing, or plant signaling mechanisms, and a multidisciplinary orientation would be valuable skills. Excellent oral and written communication skills are essential. Although the appointment has no formal engagement component, the position has obvious linkages to commercial industry. Interest in international dimensions of plant responses to the environment is desirable.
Compensation: Salary will be competitive and commensurate with professional experience. Academic-year appointment with excellent fringe benefits that include employer contributions to the individual’s retirement program, medical, life & disability insurance, and sabbatical-leave opportunities.
The College: The Department is an integral part of the College of Agriculture, one of the world’s leading colleges of agricultural, food, life, and natural resource sciences and ranked number 8 globally in the 2014 QS World University Rankings. The College is deeply committed to the three land-grant missions (teaching, research, and extension), to international activities and perspectives that span all missions, and to supporting a diverse and inclusive environment focused on excellence in all we do. The College has 11 academic departments and includes 330 faculty, 2710 undergraduate students, and 685 graduate students. The College’s strategic plan can be accessed at https://www2.ag.purdue.edu/Pages/strategicplan.aspx.
Application: Screening of applicants will begin April 6, 2015, although applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The target date for filling the position is August 15, 2015. Qualified persons are requested to submit a packet including: (i) a letter of application, (ii) a summary of research accomplishments and future research objectives, (iii) a description of teaching interests and experiences, and (iv) a current curriculum vitae. In addition, applicants are asked to arrange for four letters of reference to be sent to the contact provided below by April 6, 2015.
A background check is required for employment in this position.
All application material should be sent electronically as .pdf files to:
Ms. Colleen Flynn
Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture
Purdue University
625 Agriculture Mall Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2010
Email:flynnck@purdue.edu
Phone: 1-765-494-1306
Fax: 1-765-494-0391